1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cleaning device, an image forming apparatus which includes the cleaning device, and a method of sealing the cleaning device. The image forming apparatus comprises, for example, an electrophotographic copier, a laser-beam printer, a facsimile apparatus, a word processor, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus, which uses an electrophotographic technique, after a toner image formed on the surface of an image bearing member has been transferred onto a transfer material, such as paper or the like, toner particles which have not contributed to the transfer operation remaining on the surface of the image bearing member must be removed from the surface of the image bearing member. Cleaning blades made of elastic materials, such as rubber or the like, have been widely used as cleaning means for removing the remaining toner particles.
In a cleaning device having the above-described configuration, there is no particular problem at the end portions of an opening of a receptacle which accommodates the cleaning blade on the sides coinciding with the direction of the axis of the image bearing member, since the cleaning blade, a scooping sheet or the like is disposed. However, at a portion of the opening orthogonal to the axis of the image bearing member, a small gap must be provided between the end portion and the surface of the image bearing member. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a sealing member for preventing leakage of toner particles from that portion.
In the above-described configuration, since the distance between the cleaning blade and its supporting member is constant, various kinds of errors, such as processing errors in the components, a dimensional error in the sealing member, an assembling error of the cleaning blade, an attachment error produced when the sealing member is attached, and the like, inevitably occur. Accordingly, it is practically impossible to completely bring the cleaning blade in close contact with the sealing member. Hence, it is difficult to reliably prevent leakage of toner particles from the gap between the sealing member and the surface of the image bearing member.